Hospital beds



March 25, 1958 A. s. REICHERT HAL 2,827,641

HOSPITAL BEDS 5 Sheets-sheaf 1 Fild Feb. 15, 1954 S. REICHERT ROY T. ADOLPHSON A. s. REICHERT El'AL 2,827,641

HOSPITAL BEDS 3 SheetsSheet 2 ALLAN S. REICHERT Rov T. ADOLPHSON Mamh 25, 1958 Filed Feb. 15. 1954 25, 1958 A. s. REICHERT ETAL 2,827,

HOSPITAL BEDS Filed Feb. 15. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 23 FIG 8 ALLAN S. REICHERT ROY T. ADOLPHSON B g PA i atent am n Patented Mar. 25, 1958 15 Claims (Cl. -63) This invention relates in general to'sick-room furniture and more particularly hospital beds.

Conventional invalid beds and hospital beds are constructed in such a manner that the spring and mattress are located at a relatively high fixed level above the floor so as to be convenient for the nurses, doctors and attendants in-administering'to the patient. Recent'consideration of sick-room procedures, however, has indicated that a patient will recover or convalesce more:

rapidly and more comfortably if the physical surroundings in the hospital room are less forbidding and resembleas nearly as possible the appearance of a normal dwelling room. It has been found that the type of bed used is one of the most significant psychological aspects of the problem since practically all patients are accustomed to sleeping in beds ofconventional. height above the floor and.

are subconsciously disturbed by the necessity of sleeping at a greatly increased height when confined to a hospital bed of the conventional type. Closely related to the psychological aspects of the problem is the further matter of patient convenience during the ambulatory stages of convalescence. to care for many of .his personal needs such as goingto the bathroom for washing, bathing, and other functions, the difficulties and hazards encountered in getting out of and'baclc into a high bed are substantial and serious. However, it is desirable not'only to provide a bed which can be varied in height but also one which can be shifted up anddown by power driven means.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a power-driven hospital bed which can be adjusted to various horizontal levels so that the patient can sleep or recline at any desired height above the fioorwithin selected limits.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a power-driven hospital bed of the type stated which when in its lowermost position of adjustment will closely simulate a conventional domestic bed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a power-driven hospital bed which can be controlled bythe patient or the attendant easily, conveniently and with a minimum of physical effort and which during movement fromone position to anotherwill operate smoothly without jarringthe patient.

With the above and othenobjects in view, our invention'resides intthe novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and. combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a perspective view of a variable-height hospital bed, the bed ends and associated operative elements being shown in full lines and the bed spring supported thereby being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is side elevationalviewpf the hospital bed, mbodying. hepre nt in on;

ure} is, an end. el vati nal w. f the hospital ed. embodying the present invention;

Once a patient is sufiiciently recovered Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken ap proximately along line 1010 of Figure 8;'

Figure ll'is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along line 1111 of Figure 2;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along line 1212 of Figure 8;

Figure 13 isa fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along line 1313'of Figure 7; and

Figure l4'is a diagrammatic view illustrating the cable and pulley system forming a part of the present invention.

Referring now in moredetailand by reference charactersto the drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of-the present invention, A designates a hospital bed-comprising a head-board 1 and a foot-board 2 structurally interconnected in bed-forming relationship. by a frame 3 including. side rails 4, 5, cross-connected by end rails 6, 7, and being adapted to supporta conventional articulated bed-spring8 shownin dotted lines in Figure 2, and having actuator-cranks 9-,;10, by which it can be moved into various'relatively inclined positions for the comfort of the patient. The bedspringsis conventional and, therefore,=is not described-or illustrated in extensive detail. The side rails 4, 5, are respectively provided with hook-plates ll, 12,- and ll, 12', for'conventional engagement with complementary fittings 13, 13, 14, 14, of the head-board TL and foot-board 2 whereby the bed A is held in uprigi t or operative position as shown in Figures land 2. it shouldbe understood, of course, that other types of conventional bed-rail hardware can be employed equally well.

The head-board 1 comprises a pair of tubular openbottomed stiles 15, 15, cross-connected by a hollow top rail 16 and .a hollowbottom rail 17, all ofrectangular cross-sectional shape and. forming a frame for a relatively thin panel 1 3 which may be of any desired decorative surface appearance. The underside of the. bottom-rail 17 is provided with an elongated slot s the rear margin of whici is defined by a horizontal flange 17; Operatively' disposed in snug-fitting slidable relation within the stiles 15, 15', are;tubular leg members 19, 19', respectively, each integrally including four walls '29, 2-1, 22, 23,- and 20', 211, 22', and 23. The leg members 19,19, are respectively provided adjacent their lower ends with rigidly welded caster-sockets 24, 24', for operatively receiving swiveling casters 25, 25. The leg members 19, 19 are also respectively provided at theirupper ends with rigidly welded top-plates 26, 26, having centrally located apertures 27, 27". Finally, the inwardly andforwardly presented faces 22, 23, 22, 23', of the leg members 19,

19', are respectively provided with elongated closed-ended slots 28, 29, 23', 29'. The forwardly presented faces 30, 36', of the stiles 15, 15', respectively, are provided with short slots 31, 31', which are aligned withthe slots 29, 29', and welded to the faces 30, 30', in line with the slots 31, 31, thereof are short forwardly projecting tubular sleeves 32 32, for operatively housing pulleys 33, 33, respectively, as best seen in Figure 8. Similarly, the inwardly presented faces 34, 34., of the stiles .15, 15, respectively, are provided with short slots 35, 35', which are aligned with the slots 29, 29', and welded to the faces 34, 34', in linewith the slots 35,35, are short inwardly projecting tubularsleeves 36, 36?, forvoperatively housing pulleys 37, 37.

The foot-board 2 is of substantially similar construction tional, are not shown in detail.

rail 7 so that the actuator cranks 9, 19, will project outwardly in convenient free-turning relation directly beneath the bottom of the foot-board 2, substantially as shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, the over-all height'of the footboard 2 is preferably shorter than the over-all height of the head-board 1 so that the two ends of the bed will assume visual appearance which is more or less conventional, that is to say, substantially similar to the propora domestic type of bed, i

' tio'nsand dimensions of the head-board and foot-board of Operatively disposed in Isnug-fittingslidable relation within the stiles 38, 38', are tubular leg members 42, 42, respectively, each integrally including four Walls 43, 44, 45, 46, and 43', 44', 45, and 46; The leg members 42, 42, are respectively provided adjacent their lower ends with rigidly welded caster-sockets 47, 47, for operatively receiving, swiveling casters 48, 48'. The le'gmem bers'42, 42' are also provided at their upper ends with rigidly welded top plates '49, 49', having centrally located apertures 50, 50.

The rearwardly presented faces '46 and 46 of the leg members 42, 42, are respectively provided with elongated closed-ended slots 51, 51', and the rearwardly presented faces 52, 52", of the stiles 38, 38, respectively, are provided with short slots 53, 53', which are respectively aligned with the slots 51, 51'. Welded to the rearwardly presented faces 52, 52, in line with the slots 51, 51', are short rearwardly projecting tubular sleeves 54, 54, for operatively housing pulleys 55, 55', respectively, as best seen in Figures 7 and 8.

Welded rigidly within the leg members 19, 19, respectively, are horizontal catch plates 56, 56', located adjacent to but in upwardly spaced relation to the lower ends of the slots 29, 29'. tical and are provided centrally of their forwardly presented edges with inwardly extending slots 57, 57', and their under faces with circular identations 58, 58', located at the inner ends of the slots 57, 57', in the provision of sockets for retentively engaging the enlarged end of ball fittings 59, 59, which are securely and tightly fastened to the ends of strong braided steel wire cables 60,

Removably mounted by means of screws 61 to each in turn rigidly bolted to the-bottom Wall 68 and is mechanically connected by a shaft coupling 82 to the rear end of 'a drive-screw 83, thelatter being journaled at its forward end in a bearing 84 mounted on the inner face of the front wall 72. Also mounted on the inner face, 7

cf thetfront wall 72in equidistantly spaced lateral relation to the drive-screw 83 are two horizontal slide-rods 1 85, 86, for shiftably supportinga relatively strong, ri

idly-made draw-frame 87 having a centrally located nut 83 for threaded engagement with the drive-screw 83. At

' through the slot s of the head-board bottom-rail 17 and is bent over upon the flange 17' for securement thereto' by bolts 92 and nuts 93 with interposed rubber washers 94 to deaden noise and vibration. Operatively mounted on the rear wall 73 inthe upper rear corners of the housing 67 are appropriately slanted pulleys 95, 95. it

should be noted in this connection that the top wall 69 of the housing 67 does not extend all the way to the rear wall 73 thereby forming a slot-like opening 96in the upper rear end of the housing 67 directly beneath the '7 slot s.

The cables 65, 6d, and 91, 91 are operatively trained over the various pulleys in the manner schematically shown in Figure 14 and are endwise securely fastened within externally threaded terminal sleeves 9'7, 97, 98,

' 98, which respectively project upwardly through the aper- The catch-plates 56, 56, are identures 27, 27159, 58, andare provided with nuts 99, 99', me, 100, by which the relative vertical positions of the terminal ends of the cables 60, 64), 91, 91', may

be adjusted. In order to facilitate such yerticaladjustment the sleeves 9 7, 97', 98, 98, are each integrally provided at its lower end with a diametrally enlarged hexagonal collar section 101 which is slidably fitted within'a slide channel 102 welded upon and projecting downwardly from the under sides of each of the top plates 25, 26,

i 49, 49, substantially in the manner shown in Figures 5 of the bed-spring side rails 4, 5, adjacent the forward ends thereof, respectively, are pulley brackets 62 for rotatably supporting idler pulleys 63 which are rotatably journaled upon pulley spindles 64 and serve to support the cables 60, 69', in substantially horizontal and concealed position along the inside faces of the bed-spring rails 4, 5, as best seen in Figure 1.

Bolted or otherwise rigidly attached at its ends to the side rails 4, 5, and extending therebetween is a metal hanger-strap 65 having a centrally located flat horizontal portion 66 for supporting the'forward end of a rectilinear shell or housing 67 formed preferably of heavy sheet metal and including a bottom wall 68, top wall 69, side walls 74}, 71, front wall 72 and a rear wall 73. The rear portion ofthe side wall 70 is integrally provided with a laterally projecting rectilinear side-compartment 74 for housing a reversible electric motor 75 connected by conventional conductor-cords 76, 77 toa reversing switch 78 and to a source of electric power (not shown) The switching means'and circuit, being substantially con /en The motor 75 is me chanically connected through a shaft coupling 79 to the input shaft 80 of a gear-type speed reducer $1 which is and 8. Finally, each of the stiles 15, 15 and 38'are provided in their top walls with identical apertures 103 which are provided with conventional snap-fitted closure plugs 104. The latter may be manually removed and an elongated socket wrench inserted through the apertures 103 to engage the nuts 99, 99', 100, 100, whereby the relative vertical position of the sleeves 97, 97', 98, 98, may be accordingly adjusted so that the several cables 60, 60', 91, 91, will all be equally taut and the relative vertical positions of the legs 19, 19, 42, 42, will be adjusted in relation to each other so that the head-board 1'.

and foot-board 2 will be substantially upright and the bed-spring 8 will be substantially horizontal when the entire structure is assembled for use.

Assuming that the variable height bed A when assembled for use is in its lowermost position, it may be very quickly and conveniently shifted upwardly by manipulating the switch 77 and energizing the motor 75. Thereupon, the drive-screw 83 will be rotated driving the drawframe 87 relatively forward toward the foot-board 2 pull-' ing with it the cables 91, 91', thus transmitting downward relative movement to the legs 19, 19', which in turn move relatively downward with respect to the head-board 1 pulling with them the cables 60, 60', which extend forwardly along the undersides of the rails 4, 5, and accordingly transmit downward relative movement to the leg members 42, 42'. Since the cables 60, 60', 91, 91, are all taut and have been adjusted as above described, the fourlegs '19, 19', 42, 42, will allmove simultaneously. It

will, of course, beunderstood in this connection thatth'e above mentioned downward relative 'movement of the asaraeai.

legmembers' 19, "19', 42, 42', ise actually gtranslatedzinto upward movement =of "the ."head-board:..1, .-footboard g2 and .bed-sprin'g S as :a unit, fsincethecasters 25,115; 48, 48; 'restaupon the .fioorandthe :leg members 19, 19; 42, 42,-areactually stationary.-

The -:bed A can, of course,'be shifted to its uppermost position, in which it is at a so-called hospital height fen the convenience of the nurses or doctor in handling the patient, I or-if desired can be stopped :at any intermediate position and can.be returned toits lowermost position when the patie'ntismerely resting or sleeping. Furthermore, the" switch 78 can be-located in a position'at which it is in convenientreach of the patient who then can raise and-lower the bed at will.x

It'should be understood that changes and modifications in theform, construction; arrangement, and combination of the several parts of'the hospital bed may be-made and substituted for those herein shown and describedwithout departing from the nature and principle of-our-invention.

Having thus describedour invention, what we' claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A hospital bed including-a headboard 'and'a'fo'otboard rigidly connected-by spaced parallel side rails to define a rectangularbed-spring supporting structure provided at its four corners with downwardly opening-tubular leg-receiving elements, aleg shiftablymounted' in each leg-receiving element, power-driven meanscarried bythe bed-spring supportingstructure, fiexiblecablesconnecting the upperends of the headboard legs-to-the power driven means; and flexiblecables-connecting the lower ends of said headboard legs to the upper ends of the footboard legs for causing all four of the legs to move simultaneously.

2. A hospital bed including two spaced upright-parallel end members rigidly interconnected by means of horizontal vbed rails, each endmernber having tubular legreceiving elements, a leg shiftably mounted in each legreceivingelement, a housing mounted on one of the:end members and extendingbetween the-bed rails,- a-horizontal jack-screw rotatably mounted in the hOUSlng qa slide element shiftably mounted in the housingand being provided with a nut operatively engaged with said jackscrew, flexible cable means connecting one end of at least one leg in one end member to the slide element, flexible cable means connecting the other end of said last-mentioned leg member to one end of one leg in the other end member, and means for rotating the jack-screw whereby to cause the end members to move upwardly together.

3. A hospital bed including two spaced parallel upright end members rigidly interconnected by means of horizontal bed rails, each end member having tubular legreceiving elements, a leg shiftably mounted in each legreceiving element, a housing carried by one of the end members and extending between and below the bed rails, a horizontal jack-screw rotatably mounted in the housing, a slide element shiftably mounted in the housing and being provided with a nut operatively engaged with said jack-screw, flexibe cable means connecting the upper end of at least one leg in one end member to the slide element,

exible cable means connecting the lower end of said last-mentioned leg member to the upper end of one leg in the other end member, and means for rotating the jack-screw whereby to cause the end members to move upwardly together.

4. A hospital bed including two spaced parallel upright end members rigidly interconnected by means of horizontal bed rails, each end member having a plurality of tubular leg-receiving elements, a leg shiftably mounted in each leg-receiving element, a housing carried by one of the end members and extending between the bed rails, a horizontal jack-screw rotatably mounted in the housing, a slide element shiftably mounted in the housing and being provided with a nut operatively engaged with said j ack-serew;iiex-1ble. came. means connecting the upperends of the legs in onemember'to the: slide element; flexible cable meansu connectingthe lower ends of the legs in saidone-end:memberatothe upper ends-ofthe 'legSz in said other-.end-member, and means for rotat ng i e jaclge screw whereby to cause the end members to .move up; wardly together;

5. A-hospitalbed including two -spaced.-paralleliup right end-members rigidly interconnected -by- .-means;sof horizontalbed rails, each end member havinga pai lofi tubular leg-receiving,elements,--a;leg shiftably mounted in each. leg-receiving element,v a housing mounted ,-on one of the end members and extending betweenthe bed rails, a horizontal jack-screw rotatably mounted in the housing, a slide element; shiftably .-mounted in the housing: and being providedwith a.nut operatively;engaged :with-.1said jack-screw; ,fiexible cable means connecting .the: upper ends -of-the legsin I one endmember to the slide element, flexiblezcable meansconnecting the lower ends of the, legs inv said one end member to the upperends of the legs in said otherz-end member, and'motor means for rotating the jack-screw.-.-whereby to ;cause, the end members to moveupwardly together.

6., A, hospitalgbed including two spaced parallel end members rigidly interconnected by means of horizontal bedqrails eachend member having a plurality of tubular leg-receiving elements, a legshiftably mounted in each leg-receiving element, driving means carried by the bed, a pulley operatively carried by-each'leg-receiving element, two flexiblecables trained around the pulleys, each cable being connected at its ends respectively to the upper end ofone leglinone end member and the lower end of .another-.legin -,theother end ;member, thereby connecting each leg of oneend member with a corresponding leg of theaother end member lengthwise of the bed, auxiliary pulleys operatively carried by the leg receiving elements of one of the end members, flexiblecables connected to each ofthe legs mountedlin said lastenamed leg-receiving elements and ,being respectively trained around the auxiliary pulleys, said last-mentioned. flexible cables alsobeing connected to the driving-means for causing the end embers to move simultaneously.

7. A hospital bed including a headboard and a footboard rigidly connected by spaced parallel side rails to define a rectangular bed-spring supporting structure provided at its four corners with downwardly opening tubular leg-receiving elements, a leg shiftably mounted in each leg-receiving element, driving means carried by the bed spring supporting structure, flexible cables connecting the upper ends of the headboard legs to the driving means, and flexible cables connecting the lower ends of said headboard legs to the upper ends of the footboard legs for causing all four of the legs to move simultaneously.

8. A hospital bed including a headboard and a footboard rigidly connected by spaced parallel side rails to define a rectangular bed-spring supporting structure provided at its four corners with downwardly opening tubular leg-receiving elements, a leg shiftably mounted in each leg-receiving element, power-driven means carried by the bed-spring supporting structure, flexible cables connecting the upper ends of the headboard legs to the power-driven means, and flexible cables extending along said side rails and connecting the lower ends of said head board legs to the upper ends of the footboard legs for causing all four of the legs to move simultaneously.

9. A hospital bed including a headboard and a footboard rigidly connected by spaced parallel side rails to define a rectangular bed-spring supporting structure provided at its four corners with downwardly opening tubular leg-receiving elements, a leg shiftably mounted in each leg-receiving element, power-driven means carried by said bed-spring supporting structure, flexible cables connecting the upper ends of the headboard legs to the power-driven means, and flexible cables connecting the lower ends of each of the headboard legs to the upper end asa'near of its corresponding footboard leg 'for causing-all four leg-receiving elements, a leg shiftably mounted in each leg-receiving element, power-driven means carried byone of the end members, flexible-cables connecting-the upper lel end members rigidly intercbnnected-byniezins of horizontal bedrails, each end member having tubular. legreceivingelements, a leg shiftably mounted in each legreceiving element, power-driven'means carried' by one of the end members, flexible. cables 3 connecting --theupper ends of the legs in one end memberto thepower-driven means and flexible cables extending along said rails and connecting the'lower ends of the legs in said one end member to the upper ends of the legs in said other end member for causing all the legs-to move simultaneously.

12. A hospital bedincluding aheadboard anda footboard rigidly connected by means of horizontal bed'rails to define abed-spring supporting structure, said headboard and footboard each having a pair of'tubular leg-receiving elements, a leg shiftably mounted in'each leg-receiving element, power-driven means carried by the bed-spring supporting structure, a pulley operatively carried byeach leg-receiving element, and flexible cables trained around the pulleys, said cables connecting the upper ends of the headboard legs to power-driven means, said flexible cables also connecting the lower ends of the headboard legs to the upper ends of the footboard legs for causing all four legs to move simultaneously.

13. A hospital bed including a headboard and a footboard rigidly'connected by spaced parallel side rails to define a rectangular bed-spring supporting structure provided at its four corners with downwardly opening tubu- Imleg-receiving elements,la. leg shiftably mounted in each leg-receiving element, power-driven means carried .by the bed-spring "supporting structure; flexible cables connecting the headboard legs. to the;power=driven means, and flexible cables connecting the headboards-legs .to: the footboard legs for causingflallfour, legs to move simultaneous- 1y. I Fitj' s, .1 3 'l [Y] W 14.- VA hospital ,bed including two spaced parallel end members rigidlyj interconnected by means of horizontal bed rails to, defineabed-spring .supporting'structure provided at its four corners with downwardly opening tubular leg-receiving elements, a leg shiftably mounted in each leg-receiving element, power-driven means carried by the bed-spring supportingistructure, flexible cables connect? ing the legs in ene eud member to the power-driven means, and'fiexible cables eonnectingsaid last-mentioned legs to theflegs in ;the fotherj end'member .for causin the end members-to moye simultaneously.

7 l5. A hospital bed including 'two spaced parallel end members rigidlyinterconnected by' means of horizontal bed rails to define a bed-spring supporting structureprovided at its four corners with downwardly'opening tubular leg-receiying elements, a legshiftably mounted in each leg-receiving element, POWf-dl'lVfillmeaIlS carried by the bed-spring supporting structure, flexible cables connecting the upper'ends 'ofthe legs in one end memberto the power-driven means, andflexible cables connecting the lower ends of said last-mentionedlegs tothe upper 1 ends of'the legs in the other end'member for causing the endmembers to move simultaneously. 1 l J ReEer'e nces'Cite'd in the file) of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS V 1903 722,5527 Anderson' Mar. 10,

1,927,933 I Fitch Sept. 26,1933 2,055,930 Josephs Sept. 29, 1936 2,339,075 Holln'ag el Jan. 11, 1944 2,590,337 McNabb et al. Mar. 25,1952

2,640,562 Villars June 2, 1953 2,650,371 ShoWalterQl. 1,S ept. 1, 1 953 2,681,454

Tallman June 22,1954 

